One-Night Pregnancy Read Online Free PDF Page B

protected her from the debris. And the branch that had come down on her had had a slight bow in it, which had landed above her waist—thereby pinning her, but not crushingher. All the rocks that had come with it had miraculously missed her, although the other debris—leaves, twigs, grass and earth—had almost smothered her.
    He looked down at himself. Once again he was a torn muddy mess, so he stripped, washed himself economically, then wound a towel round his waist. He doused the lamps, as the fire in the stove still roared and provided some light, and climbed into the bed beside her.
    She didn’t resist when he pulled her gently into his arms. If anything she sighed with relief, and he felt her relax slowly.
    Finally she said, as their bodies touched, ‘Thank you so much.’
    ‘It was my pleasure,’ he answered, with a wry twist to his lips. ‘Go to sleep if you can.’
    She did drift into an uneasy slumber for a while, but then she woke, shaking and obviously distressed, and suffering a reaction.
    ‘Bridget—Bridget,’ he said softly. ‘You’re safe.’
    But she moved jerkily in his arms.
    ‘Hey,’ he added, ‘it’s me—Adam. Your axeman and wood-chopper. Remember?’
    Her green eyes focused slowly and she started to relax. ‘Oh, thank heavens,’ she breathed. ‘I thought I was out there again, with things falling down on me and suffocating me.’
    ‘No. I have you in my arms. We’re in bed in the shed—remember the shed?—and although the elements are playing havoc outside—’ he paused to grimace as another storm cell erupted overhead ‘—we’re warm and dry.’
    But she grew anxious again. ‘Is that more thunder and lightning? When is it going to stop?’ she asked tearfully.
    Adam studied her face in the dim light and felt that protective urge run through him again. She’d been through so much, and had borne most of it with a mixture of composure and humour, he thought. But how to comfort her now? More talk?
    It came to him that there was only one way he wanted to comfort her—and the thought translated itself instinctively. He pulled her closer and ran his hands over her body.
    She stilled, and her lips parted as her eyes grew uncertain, mirroring all her doubts. Was she dreaming again? And, if she wasn’t, was she going to be any good at this?
    And Adam discovered he couldn’t help himself. He lowered his head to kiss her, with the express intention of not only comforting her but at the same time chasing away that look of uncertainty, proving to her she was infinitely desirable.
    Bridget remained quite still in his arms for a long moment, then she seemed to melt against him and her lips parted softly beneath his.
    Not only did she accept his kiss, but her senses flowered and brought her to a tingling awareness of his body against hers. And as that translated to a wave of desire for him, up and down the length of her, she felt soft and pliant. She felt as if none of her bruises or scrapes even existed, as if it would be the most natural, lovely thing in the world to open her legs and receive him.
    And as all hell broke loose above them again, as thunder ricocheted around the ether and lightningflashed sparks of light through the old shed’s dirty, high windows, they came together in the timeless act of love. Because, as both were to think later, they just didn’t seem to have much say in the matter.
    If anyone had told her how exquisite the act of love could be after her unhappy experience of it she would not have believed them. Not even when she’d felt herself come alive in that particular way in his arms had she expected such rapture.
    The way he touched her breasts and teased her nipples was divinely thrilling. The way his fingers sought her warm, silken, most erotic spots almost took her breath away. And because he was extra-gentle, not only in deference to her scrapes and bruises, his final claiming of her and their subsequent climax was so different from what she’d known